This invention relates generally to improvements in medical swabs and the like of the type used for collecting biological specimens for purposes of performing a variety of medical tests with respect to those specimens. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved and substantially self-contained swab unit having one or more reagents and improved means for handling the reagents and the specimen in the course of performing medical tests.
Medical swabs in general are well-known in the art for use in collecting biological specimens from a patient for further analysis. Such medical swabs commonly comprise a fibrous swab tip at one end of an elongated stick or shaft which is manually handled to contact the swab tip with selected tissue cells or other biological specimen obtained, for example, from within the ear, nose or throat of a patient. As a result, some of the targeted biological specimen adheres to the swab tip which can then be contacted with one or more selected reagents to indicate, for example, the presence of infection or other information regarding patient condition. The tests commonly performed with such patient specimens include, by way of example, fluorescent tests, enzymatic tests, monoclonal based tests, agglutination tests, etc.
In accordance with standard techniques, the collected biological specimen is normally transferred from the swab tip to a slide or other laboratory apparatus such as a test tube or the like for contact with the selected reagent and further analysis. However, it is frequently difficult to insure transfer of a sufficient specimen quantity from the swab tip to the laboratory slide or the like to insure accurate test results. Moreover, in many instances, the collected specimen must be transported to a medical laboratory for performance of selected assays, but delays between the time of specimen collection and actual test performance can result in partial or complete drying of the specimen, with a corresponding decrease in test reliability.
Various swab collection devices have been proposed in efforts to provide enhanced contact between a specimen and reagent, or, in the alternative, to sustain the specimen during post-collection transport to a medical laboratory or the like. Such swab collection devices have been provided in the form of a compact kit including a fibrous-tipped swab together with one or more reagents for contacting a specimen collected upon the swab. In some designs, the reagent is carried by a frangible glass ampoule which is broken at the appropriate time to release a reagent for contacting the specimen on the swab tip. Other designs have provided reagents within rupturable plastic cells for appropriate release to contact the collected specimen. These prior collection device designs, however, have not provided effective means for filtering particulate such as mucous and other non-fluid debris from a collected specimen, wherein such filtration of the specimen can be a requirement in order to obtain reliable test results. Moreover, these prior devices have not been designed for relatively easy delivery of a mixed specimen and reagent from the device for further analysis, as required in some test, without exposing testing personnel to unnecessary risks in contacting a collected specimen or the reagents associated therewith.
There exists, therefore, a significant need for an improved specimen test unit having relatively simple yet effective filtering means for filtering the collected specimen and/or reagent, as required by the specific test to be performed. In addition, there exists a need for an improved test unit designed for handling a collected specimen and associated reagents safely without risk of contact by testing personnel. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.